The next day, Imperial Physician Zhou arrived as promised to re-examine Yun Wan. Afterward, he returned to the palace to report her condition truthfully, suggesting that she needed quiet rest to recover her vitality.
Perhaps because of this, Emperor Jingxuan’s plans to visit were postponed.
Coincidentally, the court was overwhelmed with affairs—spring floods had suddenly struck the southern regions, and the local officials’ negligence led to the collapse of a dam, causing floods that submerged a downstream village and thousands of acres of fertile land.
Emperor Jingxuan was furious. He dismissed all those involved, confiscating properties and exiling the guilty. For a time, the court was filled with tension, everyone walking on eggshells.
Of course, none of this concerned Yun Wan.
Imperial Physician Zhou visited the Lu Duke’s residence for seven consecutive days to monitor her recovery. Under his care, Yun Wan’s condition gradually stabilized, and her health was fully restored.
By late May, after nearly half a month of recuperation, Yun Wan had regained her strength, her complexion as radiant as before.
As summer approached, the weather grew increasingly hot. Coincidentally, the Bodhi Temple was preparing to hold its annual Bathing the Buddha Festival in a few days. Old Madam Lu, a devout Buddhist, decided this was the perfect opportunity to take the women of the household to the Bodhi Mountain in the outskirts of the capital.
In the main room, Yue Ya and the others busied themselves packing Yun Wan’s belongings for the trip. Since the Bodhi Temple was situated halfway up the mountain, where mornings and evenings were chilly, summer attire alone wouldn’t suffice—light outer garments with thin lining were also prepared.
Yue'e folded a set of spare clothes, then paused and added a pale pink gauze inner robe to the pile.
Yue Ya, noticing this, frowned. "Why pack that? Madam won’t wear it. It’ll just be dead weight."
Yue'e sniffed. "You never know."
"I heard there’s a manor at the mountain’s peak with hot spring pools. Soaking in them is said to beautify the skin, improve circulation, and benefit overall health—full of advantages! If there’s time, Madam might even take a dip!"
If she were to bathe in the springs, heavy clothing wouldn’t do—this gauze robe would be just right.
Yue Ya hadn’t known about the hot springs, but hearing this, she conceded the point. It wasn’t a big deal to pack one extra piece.
Little did they know, this very robe would indeed come in handy.
The next morning, the group departed from the Lu Duke’s residence and arrived at the Bodhi Temple before noon, settling into the temple’s guest quarters.
There were three rooms in total: Yun Wan shared one with Lu Changning, while Lu Changyu stayed with her mother, Second Madam, and Old Madam Lu with Concubine Zhong.
After the morning’s journey, Old Madam was the first to tire. She retired to rest after the vegetarian meal, and the others, with nothing else to do, returned to their own rooms.
"The Bathing the Buddha Festival lasts ten days. Grandmother says we’ll stay here for at least seven. That’s so long..."
"When we came up the mountain, I didn’t see anything fun around here. Aunt, are we really going to chant scriptures for seven whole days?"
"Getting bored already?"
"I’m afraid I won’t last. Especially since the sound of chanting makes me drowsy—it’s downright disrespectful to the Buddha!"
"The Buddha is merciful. He won’t blame you."
"Besides, once Old Madam gets busy, she likely won’t have time to mind you."
At this, Lu Changning’s eyes brightened.
Yun Wan’s guess proved correct. Over the next few days, Old Madam was constantly occupied—participating in the bathing ceremony, vegetarian feasts, animal releases, and other customary activities—leaving no time to supervise Lu Changning.
One day, as Yun Wan stepped out of the Buddha Hall, she saw Lu Changning approaching with an excited smile.
"Aunt! I found a wonderful place!"
Dressed in a pale pink peach-blossom robe, her round almond eyes sparkled.
Yun Wan brushed dust from her sleeves. Her light cyan wide-sleeved dress accentuated her slender, graceful figure, exuding a gentle yet cool elegance.
Puzzled, she asked, "What place?"
Lu Changning’s voice brimmed with enthusiasm. "A young monk told me there’s a hot spring manor at the mountain’s peak, surrounded by a peach grove—absolutely stunning!"
Though it was past peach blossom season, missing the flowers was a shame, but the sight of peach-laden trees would still be delightful.
"Earlier, I also ran into Xiang Xue and Princess Jiayi. They came with their families too."
"We agreed to visit the peak this afternoon, then soak in the springs. Aunt, you should join us!"
Lu Changning extended the invitation eagerly, her eyes hopeful.
Hot springs?
For a moment, Yun Wan was tempted, but she demurred, "You young ladies go ahead. It wouldn’t be proper for me to join."
Lu Changning pouted. "Why not? We’re all women. Since we’re here, shouldn’t we enjoy ourselves?"
She knew her aunt’s status imposed restrictions, which only made her feel more protective of her.
Having served Yun Wan for years, Yue'e recognized her hidden interest and chimed in cheerfully, "Madam, the young miss is right. Instead of staying cooped up, why not relax in the springs? It’ll soothe your muscles."
She nudged Yue Ya, who added, "They say the springs dispel cold, restore energy, and even prolong life. Since you’ve just recovered, why not give it a try?"
"Exactly! Just try it!"
Lu Changning tugged her sleeve playfully.
Yun Wan shot them an exasperated look. "I think it’s not for my sake, but because the two of you want to go, isn’t it?"
Yue'e giggled sheepishly.
With no further objections, Yun Wan relented. "Fine. Since we’re here, I’ll try it."
"But I won’t be free this afternoon—I still have incense offerings to make, so I can’t join your outing."
Yun Wan had taken the chance to pray before the Buddha, making a vow for "her and Sui’s lifelong peace and safety" and pledging three days of incense offerings. Today was the last.
Lu Changning nodded. "Then join us later for the springs. When you reach the manor, give my name to the servants—they’ll escort you."
Yun Wan acknowledged and memorized the instructions.
...
By late afternoon, Yun Wan set off for the mountain peak with Yue Ya and Yue'e.
The hot spring manor was nestled at the summit, accessible via a smooth stone path that wound from the temple to the top—a mere half-hour walk.
Along the way, the sunlight was splendid, and the path bustled with visitors coming and going, most here for the festival and the scenery.
Golden rays pierced through layers of white clouds, casting a warm glow over the land. From the peak, the view stretched far, revealing much of the capital’s layout below.
The so-called hot spring manor occupied half the mountainside, its thermal pools emitting a faint sulfur scent.
Upon entering, Yue'e stated their purpose and mentioned Lu Changning’s name.
The blue-clad maidservant who greeted them paused, studying Yun Wan. "You are the Lu young miss’s aunt—the Third Madam of the Lu family?"
Yun Wan replied, "Indeed."
The maid curtsied slightly, smiling. "Please follow me, Madam."
She led the way with a light yet oddly efficient gait—unlike an ordinary servant, more like one rigorously trained.
Yun Wan mused that the owner of this manor must be a person of exacting standards.
